@labalbi And the A6100 or A7000, Sony can put it 4K for compete with the NX500.

Hi Driftwood numbers 4 and 9 are the unlucky japanese numbers, that is why I was surprised when the gh4 came out. Pretty sure 5 is fine, but as always I may be wrong

In Japan, certain numbers are lucky and unlucky. It's really important to know these numbers because if you don't, you could be accidentally telling someone you'd like them to suffer a slow agonizing death when you're giving them omiyage (お土産 – souvenirs) from your trip to Kyoto.

First, let's get the bad ones out of the way. Four is an unlucky number in Japan because it sounds like shi (死 – death). This is why there are two readings for the number four, shi and yon. Whenever possible, people try to avoid using the deathy one.

The same is true of the ku (九 – nine), which sounds like ku (苦 – suffering, agony or torture). Similarly to four, there are two readings for nine – ku and kyu.

GH5 (or whatever the model number is)

Has to have 5axis IBIS - All the players have it now, and to rely on the MEGA OIS of the lenses, just won't cut it for 2016, especially with Panasonic seemingly happy with people using Speedboosters for Anamorphic and the like. The difference is night and day.

They need to fix a number of functions, which still don't work:

1. Changing ISO - removes ALL exposure aids from screen (Zebras, Meter - the lot)

2. While is P/S/M modes. Display all of the shutter, aperture & ISO values. So we can see what it's doing.

3. Ability to assign a Fn button to do one touch WB (useful in movie mode)

4. Enable AutoISO in M mode (movie) + plus enable upper ISO limit

5. While in A mode (Movie) with AutoISO on, limit shutter to 180' shutter angle

6. Assign ISO control to wheel without need to press ISO button

In-body 10bit 422 would be killer, but I presume their Varicam department wouldn't allow it, even if the GH5 would use the new faster SD Cards

What everyone seems to miss is that the GH4 and the announced Sony A7rII are in completely different price categories. Even the A7s, with recorder, is 3 times the price. Thus the GH4 doesn't compete directly with the Sony. Look at the changes from GH2 to GH3 to GH4 and you'll get a better sense of what is in store for the GH5. Each change brought a more robust codec with increased resolution with the same MP (but improved) sensor.

Panasonic could go to 6K, or more likely 4:2:2 internal 4K to improve IQ using faster SD cards. They will also improve low light a bit, but not as much as everyone wants. Autofocus will take another huge step forward, especially in video. Improvements in ergonomics, buttons without changing the refinements that have worked so well. If V-Log extends the life of the GH4, they'll likely release the GH5 within a year of that.

It will be improved in every way over the GX8. Three things for sure. 1. 220+ minutes of Video Recording 2. Larger battery to record that long. 3. Better Sensor

http://cameratimes.org/panasonic-lumix-gh5-coming-2016/

The party begins :-)

cant push 8k until 4k tvs are selling well. simple marketing

I'll throw in some of my own speculation and guessing on the GH5. I think it will still record 4k. I don't think 6k/8k is at all likely. H.265 seems plausible if there is a cheap and easy off the shelf chip for it that meets the needs of the camera, but it isn't at all a sure thing. I am still holding out hope for something better than 8 bit recording. I'd prefer RAW recording in camera, but something like 10 bit H.264 or DNXHD seems a lot more likely. Shooting to a log picture profile may come out of the box rather than being a silly late expensive firmware update like on the GH4, once they realize that almost nobody has paid for the separate firmware update for the GH4. I also think that 4kp60 is a plausible upgrade.

For the questions at the start of the thread... At least mid 2016 before it is released, no release by Feb 2016. No larger sensor, but an update from the GH4 sensor, a bit better in low light, nothing mind blowing, no organic sensor. If they ever make an s35 camera, it won't use a u43 compatible mount with extra coverage lenses, it'll be a different mount. No specific cine lens release in sync with GH5 release. H.265 is a maybe. Probably similar body size to GH3/4. No revelation in programmability of the buttons - Panasonic still doesn't have a culture of end user customisation in that way. No 6/8k internal or external. 1080p120 seems plausible, if it can hit 4kp60 it'll have plenty of bandwidth. GH4 will be available for another two years, you can still but a GH3 and GH4 has been around for almost two years.

4k is what, 8MP. A 12MP sensor would benefit the GH5, especially if they can put the latest tech on to the sensor with full sensor readout. The only problem I see arise with the GH5, is that will it cost more than the initial price of the GH4 as the GH4 price was higher at launch than the launch of the GH3.

Will the GH5 hit $2,000?

@Mckinise 4k resolution max. But I don't buy the whole 8mp 2016 thing. Japan companies have been given mandate from government to make 8k happen. This is for Olympics 2020. They will be transmitted in 8k- so this means they want to get content ready. (Maybe we will see Driftwood gh6 RAW footage in Olympic teaser!). I'm not joking.

8k is happenening. If not GH5 then GH6. But GH6 is too far away for 2020.

IMHO, "8k" is nonsense. Not because of display technology or because people wouldn't like to buy it, but simply because it's so unlikely to record material in that quality. 8k x 4k pixels = 32 M full color pixels, as for cameras they count each red, green and blue pixel separately, you'd need something equivalent to a "96 Megapixel" sensor to record an "8k" image in full quality. And even if you had a 96 Megapixel sensor that is sensitive and quick enough, you still need a monster of a lens to deliver the light to it.

Have a look at the 4k material available today: Apart from some sports events shot in bright daylight with very expensive equipment, existing 4k material hardly ever pushes the limits of 4k resolution. A Red Dragon or Sony F56 deliver "indoor" or "night" shots in 4k that certainly look somewhat better than 2k, but are far from utilizing full 4k resolution. If the same scenes were filmed in "8k", there would be no difference in actual, measurable resolution.

@Vesku

I am NOT smiling because you didn't say what guessing you did! Ha.

Neil